Do you know what Rafah means to me?

Hello. My name is Rana Alshami and I report for Salaamedia. Today you may wonder what I am going to talk about, the story I came up with?

You may know the Rafah border crossing or you may not. You may have heard about the Rafah border crossing stories or you may not. Ok, I will tell you.

Rafah border crossing links Egypt with Gaza. It’s the gate through which my people can leave. I’ts our right to travel and see the other parts of the world and explore things. No one can deny that, but unfortunately we don’t have access to this simple right.

I’m telling you because I know many, many, many of you don’t know our misery. No one knows how we are trying to survive day by day because we are the only victims.

I will tell you my experience. In 2014, I received a scholarship for my Masters degree to study in London. But unluckily I could not make it because of the siege and the border was closed. What did I gain? Just tell me? More depression and sadness.

I am still young, and I’m looking for any chance to travel and have my own life, to study and work. But, I don’t know what to tell you.

Life is not a bed of roses in Gaza. We don’t have access to simple things in life like electricity and clean water. Many patients are waiting to cross Rafah border. Students and workers had their visas. But what is their fate, no one knows until now.

Recently Egypt opened the Rafah border crossing for one week and only a few thousand patients, students and holders of residency permits could enter.

Palestinians in Gaza continue to face difficulties at the Rafah crossing since (Abdul Fattah) Al Sisi has come to rule Egypt.

Egyptian authorities reduced the working hours at the crossing to four hours daily. Imagine, with thousands waiting at Rafah gate.

Rana Alshami

Gaza

Do you know what Rafah means to me? was last modified: September 19th, 2017 by Salaamedia